BioWare talks Sonic RPG

Canadian role-playing mastermind BioWare has been spilling a few beans on its upcoming Sonic game for DS.

It's both excited and apprehensive about moving into the handheld market, which marks a change of direction for a developer used to creating lengthy and in-depth tales for PC or console. But that experience won't be put to waste, as the team attempts to create a faster-paced game with a more pick-up-and-play approach - presumably so you don't miss your station and arrive in Egypt by accident while RPGing to work. (Yes, trains run there. No, don't look it up on Google).

"We plan on taking those core Sonic elements that fans love about games and incorporating them into a brand new adventure that will feature the best of both worlds: all the fast-paced action of Sonic, plus a deep and engaging storyline that will keep players on the edge of their seats," Ray Muzyka, big boss at BioWare, told Wired.

"People don't tend to spend quite as many hours in a row on the DS as they would when playing a BioWare game for console or PC, so gamers can expect the Sonic RPG to be very easy to pick up and play at length or in shorter bursts - whichever they prefer!"

Specific details are still hard to come by, but Muzyka promised all the familiar faces and elements that have made the Sonic franchise so popular over the years - as well as a healthy dose of new features and environments to freshen things up. Maybe get Sonic some new shoes.

The project was announced last month and is due out sometime in 2008. We're hoping another Knights of the Old Republic-like reinvention might be on the cards here. What do you think, reader of the news?